A Selection from the David J. Azrieli Collection Opens at Tel Aviv Museum

Artur Markowicz, "Chess Players", 1926.

TEL AVIV.- The Canadian architect and philanthropist David J. Azrieli is exhibiting his private collection at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

The Azrieli collection started out in the 1970s as David Azrieli's private art collection, but was mostly collected as the Azrieli Group collection. It holds approximately 350 works, mostly by 20th century. The exhibition is the first public presentation of this collection, which comprises mostly figurative works.

Two apparently conflicting tenors inform the works  modernity and traditionalism. The exhibition gives expression to both: on the one hand it presents prevalent modernist themes, such as landscape, interior, or still-life painting` on the other hand it shows works with traditional themes, such as scenes from the life of Diaspora Jews, motherhood, music, or illustrations to literary works.

Arthur Markowicz and Anna Pasternak: The works in the collection depicting Chess and Backgammon players, extend from past to present, from life in the Diaspora to contemporary life in Israel.